


Like A Glove

by Maya_Koppori



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 08:57:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5533871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maya_Koppori/pseuds/Maya_Koppori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette has discovered that she can weave magic into her designs. What better excuse to gift some good luck to her crush than a Secret Santa exchange? But does a Lucky Charm work the same for the black cat of misfortune as it would for anyone else?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like A Glove

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for tumblr user whitewistalia, with my condolences. The original event coordinator paired me, a writer, with someone who wanted art. I hope you still like it!

Marinette liked designing. No, she didn't like it- she lived for it. Design was her passion. Even with Ladybug’s responsibilities looming overhead, it was never far from her mind. Neither was her sketch pad. When inspiration struck, Marinette was always ready to put down at least a rough sketch. Most designs continued to grow until she had brought her idea to life. 

And when she realized that the designs she put the most feeling into happened to ward off bad luck, what else could she do? What was the use of being a superhero whose only superpower was mindbogglingly good luck unless she shared it with other people? Alya and her family were first and foremost, of course. But as she continued to make her own little Lucky Charms, she found that all she really needed to do was say the words over the finished product and poof! One magical shield, ready to go.

So naturally, she started to accumulate clothing and accessories. Even more naturally, she had to give the resulting mass of crafts to someone, right? It was perfectly normal. She'd been making things all her life, and her close friends were no strangers to spontaneous statements like “Hey, I heard you wanted a phone charm. I made this one a while ago, do you like it?” Or “Aren't you cold? Here, take my scarf- no, don't worry about giving it back, I have a dozen more at home. Keep it!” So there was absolutely nothing weird about her giving handmade crafts and trinkets to anyone, especially not to classmates! Heck, she could even give one to a near stranger and they'd probably just think, “Yep, that's just what Marinette does. There's no suspicious intent in this at all!”

Or at least, that's what Marinette chanted to herself over and over as she paced at the foot of her bed, her fingers plastered with bandages and her nails bitten to the quick. At every about turn she stole a glance at the last open, unwrapped box on her bed. It mocked her in its emptiness, in its potential to be filled. Her eyes flitted again to her work desk, where a freshly finished project lay ready to be boxed away like all the others. Somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. 

“Marinette, you're making a track in your rug,” Tikki noted, drifting lazily to the bedcovers. She stifled a yawn. “It's late. You have to give it to him tomorrow no matter what, so you might as well stop worrying and get some rest.”

“Tikki, I can't,” Marinette whined. She threw her hands to her head and clenched them in frustration. “Everyone else is going to be getting normal things like candy and phone cases and music- what if I'm the only one who made my gift? Adrien will think it's super weird and that I'm creepy and he’ll never want to talk to me again!” Marinette slumped against her bed with a wail. 

Tikki glanced cautiously at the trapdoor down into the house- it was still latched, and no lights came on. “Marinette, you're going to wake your parents,” she chided her friend. Tikki floated over and gently patted Marinette’s face. “There's nothing weird about making the gift. That just makes it more special! And you want Adrien to be safe, don't you?”

The reminder shook Marinette out of her fit, and she nodded firmly. “Of course.” 

“And he's the only one in your class you haven't given something handmade to since you figured out how to make Lucky Charms,” Tikki continued, trying to be patient. They'd had this conversation three times today alone, but if hearing the facts again helped Marinette feel better then Tikki could bear with it. “The class’s Secret Santa project is the perfect opportunity to share your luck with him! You can't let it pass just because you're nervous.”

Marinette groaned, but crossed to her desk. She picked up the painstakingly crafted gloves and checked them over one more time. They were cashmere, incredibly soft, and the same shade of blue she’d used for Adrien’s birthday present. And if she could say so herself, they were  _ perfect _ . They had to be. The only possible variable was the sizing- oh who was she kidding? She knew his measurements by heart by now. She'd learned the length of his fingers and the width of his palm the moment his hand brushed against hers during the hat design contest. As much as she'd been distracted by his closeness and his praise, her designer’s instinct hadn't failed her there. So all that was left was to actually wrap them. 

“Please, please work,” Marinette prayed softly. She tucked the gloves within the folds of white tissue paper and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she let her hands hover over the gift and whispered, “Lucky Charm!”

A dull pink glow infused the box and its contents, leaving Marinette drained but relieved. She had once again managed to push a little bit of her own magic into something she'd made. And if it worked like the others had, Adrien would also get a lucky boost when the time came. “It worked, Tikki! It's finally ready.” She unrolled some deep blue wrapping paper smattered with snowflakes and got to work. 

Tikki flew over and settled on Marinette’s shoulder. The kwami nuzzled her partner affectionately. “I knew you could do it. You'll see, tomorrow is going to be a really great day!”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Today is the worst day!” Marinette wailed. She bolted up the front steps to the school, bag on one shoulder and her gift tucked under one arm. She had completely overslept, only grabbing a single slice of toast on her way out the door. She couldn't be late, not today of all days!

“It's not that bad,” Tikki soothed from her place in Marinette’s school bag. “That Lucky Charm may have unbalanced your luck for a while, but it's not really any worse than usual!”

“Yeah, but I really needed that Ladybug luck today,” Marinette couldn't help but grumble. 

“Oh, hey! You running late too?” A voice said behind her. 

Marinette squeaked and turned on her heels. Oh no. There he was. It was Adrien, looking even more handsome than normal. He'd opted for a green jacket today and it made his eyes sparkle. And, she noted with a barely concealed gasp of apprehension, he was  _ wearing her scarf! _

She then realized that she had been asked a question, and her brain decided to short circuit. “AhhhhhhHI ADRIEN,” she yelled, wincing when her words came out way too loud. This was it, he was just going to walk away and never talk to her aga-

“Hi,” Adrien echoed, a politely amused smile on his face. His eyes flitted momentarily to the box in her arms. “Wow, did you wrap that yourself? It’s pretty.”

_ Be cool be cool be cool be cool. _

“Yeah, I, uh, I wrap presents.” Ok, not cool, but understandable. That was an improvement. 

Adrien nodded. “Cool. I'll see you in class, ok?” He walked past her in the hall, leaving Marinette gazing dreamily after him before she remembered that, oh yeah, she was running late. 

She made it to class seconds behind Adrien and just as the bell rang. She sighed with relief and slumped into her seat next to Alya. 

“Girl, you look like you didn't sleep at all,” her friend whispered. “What happened?”

Marinette simply lifted her present to rest on the desk and shrugged. Alya nodded in sympathetic understanding. She of all people knew how long Marinette obsessed over getting everything just right. She sent Marinette a thumbs up for encouragement before turning forward. 

“Alright, everyone,” Madame Bustier said, calling the attention of the class. “As you all know, today is the day we exchange gifts with the Secret Santas we were assigned at the beginning of the month. I want everyone to stand up and take your present to the desk of the person you brought it for.”

A murmur of excitement ran through the classroom and, one by one, people picked up their presents and sought out their intended recipients. Marinette waited, partially to steel her nerves and partially because she didn't have far to go. Adrien also stayed in his seat, which had her confused. Had he gotten a present for Nino? But no, there was Alix setting an orange bag on Nino’s desk. So Adrien wasn't Nino’s Secret Santa. 

“Hey Alya, have you-” The words died on Marinette’s tongue. Rose was presenting Alya with a very cute, very pink little box covered in ribbons and glitter. 

“Hm?” Alya looked up, smiling. “What is it, girl?”

Marinette flushed. “N-Nothing.” She faced forward again, clutching loosely at the box in her hands. Adrien still hadn't moved. 

With a dawning sense of excitement and horror, Marinette watched her classmates take their seats. Adrien swiveled in his chair mto look up at her, his initial grin fading into confusion when he saw she hadn't moved either. “Marinette?” he asked. “Are you my Secret Santa?”

She swallowed her panic and nodded, flashing him a shy smile. “M-Merry Christmas, Adrien.” She held out the blue box, face flaming. 

Adrien smiled, but it was different this time. One corner of his mouth was curled like he was only just containing a snicker, and his deep green eyes danced with laughter. The unexpected expression dazzled Marinette. Without breaking eye contact, he reached below his desk and pulled out a square, pink-wrapped package. On the tag, in halting but deliberate script, was her name in what had to be silver Sharpie. “Merry Christmas to you too, Marinette,” Adrien said. 

Time stopped for Marinette. She vaguely heard Chloe’s enraged outburst from across the room, as well as Alya’s gasp of delight and Nino’s whispered, “Sick, bro!” But all of that was overshadowed by the enormity of what Adrien had just said. Marinette jolted back into motion and reached out her hand. 

A scream tore through the air, soon joined by a dozen others. An alarm rang out through the school building, and the overhead sprinklers sprang to life. Water began drenching everything, and students rushed for the doors. Marinette dropped everything but her purse and joined her classmates at the door. 

Down the hall, a figure burst from a nearby classroom. Flames wound up and down their body and spread to everything close enough to touch. And, Marinette couldn't help but see, a glowing purple butterfly silhouetted their face. “Ladybug! Chat Noir! Came out and face me if you can  _ take the heat  _ of Open Fire!”

Marinette cringed, and not just at the pun. As her classmates scattered, she took advantage of the confusion and ran, head ducked low. She found an abandoned stairwell and freed Tikki from her purse. “Tikki, spots on!”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chat Noir’s Miraculous beeped in warning. He waved to Ladybug and the fire department with an apologetic smile. They waved him off, returning their attention to Hawkmoth’s latest pawn. 

He didn't mind. Ladybug didn't have much time left either after using Lucky Charm. He found a place to transform back in safety, and a few minutes later Adrien Agreste re entered the scene. Plagg, exhausted from the fight, whined from his place in Adrien’s bag. “Need… Cheese… Preferably Camembert… Now… Or I'll die.”

“Hang in there,” Adrien whispered. He knew Plagg’s tendency to exaggerate. “I need to make sure everyone got out alright.”

“Uuuuuuuugh.” 

But for all his complaining, Plagg fell silent once they met with the crowd surrounding the school building. Adrien took advantage of his height to peer at the heads around him, accounting for his classmates. Nino and Alya were first of course, the reporter and videographer never far from an Akuma attack. He found Chloe bemoaning the state of her hair to Sabrina, who was obviously shaken by the whole ordeal. One by one he found each of his classmates in the crowd and little by little he felt the tension in his shoulders ease. Even as a superhero, it was hard to keep track of everyone. 

A streak of jet black caught his eye and Adrien remembered the moment the Akuma had begun its rampage. He'd been about to exchange gifts with-

“Marinette!” He called, jogging up to the girl. She froze for an instant before rounding on him in a stiff, guarded stance. 

“Adrien!” The boy noted with pleasure the lack of struggle she had saying his name. “I'm glad you're alright. That was- that was really intense, wasn't it?”

Adrien nodded. “Yeah. Do they know what happened?”

Marinette followed his gaze over to an ambulance, where the girl who used to be Open Fire sat with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes were wide but hollow, staring at nothing. 

“I heard that some big Christmas plans with her family got cancelled,” Marinette murmured. Her eyes had softened, her stance relaxed. Adrien heard genuine sympathy in her voice. “I don't know her, but even I’ve heard her talk about them. She's been looking forward to that trip for months.”

Adrien nodded like this was new information. He'd gathered that much while fighting Open Fire. Apparently the destination had been somewhere in the tropics, and Hawkmoth had decided that the next best thing was to heat Paris up as much as possible. With fire. 

“It's a good thing Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up so quickly to help her cool her head,” Adrien commented. 

Marinette snickered beside him and clapped a hand over her mouth, glancing up at him. He belatedly realized that he'd made an inadvertent pun. Now he was the one who was struggling. He hadn't meant to let that much Chat out in front of her. “I-I mean…”

“No, I got it.” A slow smile crept into Marinette’s face along with a light blush. “That- that was a good one.” She turned away, rubbing the back of her neck. 

The shade of her cheeks prompted a memory- why he'd sought her out in the first place. Adrien’s hand shot out and grabbed Marinette’s arm before his mind could catch up with the thought. “Wait a minute! You forgot something in class.”

“Uhhh.” Marinette blinked up at him, breathless. Her eyes flitted between his face and his hand on her arm. “I did?”

Adrien quickly released her arm. He sometimes forgot just how  _ frightened _ she could act around him. Especially after the moments they'd had today. Even flustered, she'd met his eyes when they talked before and during class. And he'd made her laugh! But if there was one thing he'd learned by working for his father, it was that he couldn't force anyone to like him. 

He'd had hope, though. He'd thought that maybe being assigned as Marinette’s Secret Santa would help open up a door for him. And there was still a chance that it could. Adrien held up one placating finger and reached into his bag. “It got a little wet when the sprinklers went off, but it should still be fine.”

“Oh. Oh!” Marinette gasped. She stared at the damp package in his hands like it was the Holy Grail. The ink had run on the tag, smearing her name, but otherwise the present was intact. “Wow, I completely forgot about that!” Adrien practically saw her brain backtracking before she started waving her hands frantically. “Not that I wasn't thinking about it before or that it's forgettable, there was just so much going on and-” She cut herself off and started talking even faster, wringing her hands and pacing. “Oh no, I just left your present in there and ran out, didn't I? Do you think they'd let me go back for it? There's no fire anymore after all, and if you need to go I can just mail it, but I really wanted to see you open it and make sure it was alright-”

“Marinette!” Adrien laughed. “It's okay. You pushed my present at me before you ran out, remember?” 

A look at her face confirmed that she did not, in fact, remember chucking the blue box at his head before sprinting out of the room. Actually, that was probably for the best. But Adrien wasn't surprised. When the screaming had started, he'd immediately wanted to get out and transform. Marinette had seemed just as focused on something too, probably making sure everyone got out of the building safely. It was just what she did. The presents took a backseat to everyone else’s safety. But now that the whole ordeal was over, Adrien pulled the box from his bag. The blue paper was ripped in a few places, weakened by water damage, but the white cardboard box beneath didn't have a single scratch. 

“Thank goodness,” Marinette breathed. Adrien hummed in agreement, though he was confused over the sheer amount of relief in her voice. Had she gotten him something really expensive? The thought unsettled him, and his mouth suddenly went dry. He didn't want her spending lots of money on him for a simple gift exchange. 

He looked around them at the dispersing crowd and caught her eye. Jerking his head to one side, he motioned for Marinette to join him on a bench. There would be no further classes today, he knew. And since school hours were technically still in session, he had no work scheduled. For the moment, he was free. “Do you want to open them now?” he asked as they sat down. 

Marinette nodded fervently, eyes shining. “Y-Yes! You should, probably- the box should have kept them safe, but you never know, and I'd hate for them to get soggy before- okayI’llopenminenow.” She ripped her eyes from him and dedicated herself to the task of unwrapping her gift.  

Adrien did the same. The white ribbon needed some forcing, but after that the wet paper came away easily in his hands. He opened the box and sucked in a breath. He pulled out the two bright blue cashmere gloves and stared at them for a full minute. They were identical to the scarf his father had gotten him for his birthday. The scarf he was wearing right at that second. Marinette couldn't have just found them in a store. Which meant that she had  _ made them _ , herself, for the sole purpose of matching  _ his _ favorite accessory. 

“Marinette, did you make these? For me?” he asked. His voice shook, and he knew he couldn't look her in the eye because if he did, that would be the end. He would break; he would cry and thank her a hundred times, which was a million less than she deserved. Adrien couldn't remember the last time anyone had actually made something specifically with him in mind. Maybe it had never happened. He would have remembered feeling like… this. 

A barely audible squeak broke the silence between them, and Adrien didn't have to look to envision the strained composure on Marinette’s face, or the pinkness of her ears, or the wide blown surprise in her eyes. “I did,” she admitted after a moment. Her voice was guarded. “Is- Is that weird?”

That got him to look at her, to confirm all of his expectations about the way she looked at him and the fact that she'd abandoned unwrapping her own gift to see his reaction. “What? How would it be weird? This is one of the nicest gifts I've ever gotten. It's incredible, Marinette!” Adrien insisted, almost laughing from giddiness. “Thank you, this is just- just-” A smirk slipped its way onto his face for a moment. “Miraculous!”

Somehow that made Marinette blush even more. Scraps of wrapping paper crinkled under her clenched fingers, stark against her white knuckles. She covered her reaction with a nervous giggle. “Miraculous? N-No way! The real miracle is if they'll even fit.”

Adrien pulled on one of the gloves. It was soft and warm, just like his scarf. And it was, in fact, a perfect fit. In any other situation, he might have wondered how a girl from his class could have produced something that felt like it had been tailored to his exact measurements. But this was Marinette. He knew how talented she was in design, and it was the mark of a true designer to eyeball lengths and widths with accuracy. 

“Fits like a glove,” Adrien commented, then started a mental countdown. Three, two, one…

“Pfft. Pffff- ahahahah!!” Marinette let out a smothered, snorting giggle. The inner Chat in Adrien rejoiced. He'd done it again! 

“I know, I'm hilarious,” he said. He pulled the other glove on and nudged her with his shoulder. “Are you gonna open yours?” 

“What? Oh, right!” Marinette flushed and stared at her lap. She brushed the last scraps of paper out of the way, revealing her present. “Oh, Adrien…” In her lap lay a pink and white polka dotted travel bag, with so many zippers and pockets that Marinette could hardly keep track. 

“Do you like it? Alya said you were having trouble keeping your sewing stuff together when you're not at home. Oh, and there's a pocket inside for your sketch pad. Did I get the color right?” 

Marinette mechanically plucked her book from her school bag and held it up to the kit. It was a perfect match. She turned it over to examine the other side and caught her breath. The front flap was monogrammed with a curly gold ‘M’, as if the bag itself was signed the same way as many of her creations. “Adrien, I don't know what to say. It's wonderful!”

“Then that's all you have to say. I'm glad you like it.”

“I do. Your gift is so much better than mine,” Marinette muttered, hugging the bag to her chest. 

“What? No way! Marinette, you  _ made _ these!” Adrien stretched his hands out in front of him. He flexed his fingers and the fabric stretched with him. “Not many people could just look at a scarf and make a perfectly matching accessory like its nothing. Do you get how  _ cool _ that is? It's like magic!”

Marinette let out yet another squeak and buried her flaming face in her hands. In contrast to before, however, Adrien could tell that she was extremely pleased with his praise. “T-Thank you! That's really nice, but it was no big deal, really-”

“Ah-ah,” Adrien tutted. “See what I mean? It is a big deal.”

That prompted an eye roll. It was a different expression for Marinette, at least while she was around Adrien. “You get clothes made for you on a weekly basis. How is this a big deal?”

Adrien opened his mouth to answer, to tell her that of course it was, she didn't think those clothes were actually made with him in mind did she? He wore what he was told to wear because it flattered his figure, because it went with his skin tone, and countless other reasons Natalie gave him that he didn't really understand. Not because it was something he  _ liked _ . Not because somebody had ever taken the time to look at what he wore and tried to fit something in instead of superimposing their own idea over it. Not because they'd cared enough to even pay attention. 

And then he closed his mouth again. What was he thinking? He couldn't tell Marinette all of that. She could still barely talk to him, even if this  _ was _ the longest conversation they'd ever had. He was too grateful to her to unload his own issues on her. 

“I wish you'd trust me when I say that it is,” he ended up saying instead. He smiled reassuringly and patted her shoulder. “I should go make sure Nino’s alright. Have a Merry Christmas, Marinette.” He turned to walk away, his grin sliding into a satisfied smirk.  _ Mission accomplished. _

“W-Wait!” Marinette blurted. Adrien felt a tug at his sleeve and turned to see her there, looking up at him with surprising determination. Her shoulders were square, her stance strong. She was demanding his attention. 

Adrien faced her fully again and cocked his head to one side. “Yes? What is it?”

The steely resolve flickered, and slowly drained from her. In seconds Marinette was back to normal, shrinking away from him. Whatever burst of bravery she'd had, whatever revelation she’d wanted to share with him, was gone. “It's n-nothing. Merry Christmas to you too, Adrien.”

Deciding not to push her too much and possibly cause her to spontaneously combust, Adrien nodded and accepted the well wishing. “I'll see you around, then.” He tipped her a wink and walked back toward the crowd, now down to just the fire department and a few students who still hadn’t managed to contact their parents. Nino was among them, chatting idly with Alya while he waited. Open Fire had long since been spirited away from the scene, and the firefighters lazed around their truck, tasked with watching over the students with no fire damage to control. Their hoses and buckets lay unused. They'd been redundant thanks to Ladybug and her Lucky Charm. 

The thought had barely crossed his mind when someone shouted in alarm. Adrien’s head snapped up in time for him to see a fireman lose his footing from the top of the truck. 

There was no time to think about it. Adrien flashed forward and lunged, catching the fireman midair before landing safely a few meters away. His momentum detracted from the downward impact, leaving them perfectly fine.

“Are you alright?” Adrien asked. He wasn’t even winded.

The fireman blinked, like he was unsure how he'd gotten from the top of the truck to being carried by a young man half his weight. If he was being honest, so was Adrien. With his cursed bad luck, his reflexes usually weren't nearly that sharp. His gloved hands tightened on the fireman’s shaking body. That had been a close one. 

“Yeah. Thanks, kid.” The fireman awkwardly found his feet. They held eye contact for a a few seconds before the fireman cleared his throat and walked away, ushered to the back of the truck by his co workers on a wave of questions. Not another word was said.

“Dude. What the actual heck? How did you even move that fast?” Nino spun Adrien around and shook him lightly by the shoulders. Alya was behind him, obviously furious that she hadn't just caught the moment on film. 

Adrien looked anywhere but at his friend. If this was how he blew his cover as Chat Noir, then he really was a black cat of misfortune. Not many people had seen him catch the fireman, but word of mouth was spreading fast. The firemen were whispering, sneaking glances at him from their huddle. A little ways away, Marinette had jumped to her feet and jogged over to check on them. Her face was flushed and she was frozen with one hand over her mouth in shock and horror. Her other hand, oddly, seemed have stopped in the middle of reaching for her purse. 

“Bro. Adrien!” Nino snapped his fingers near Adrien’s face. 

“Ah!” Adrien tore his eyes away from Marinette. “Sorry, sorry, just… I don't know what happened. It was like some sort of instinct.” He shrugged noncommittally. “Maybe it's a fencing thing?”

Alya shook her head in wonder. “Well whatever it was, that fireman sure is lucky you had it.”

A string of muttering once again drew Adrien's concentration to Marinette. She had pulled out her phone and seemed to be in deep conversation with it, holding it just slightly away from her ear. 

“- to protect  _ him _ , why would it-? No, I didn't give one to the fireman, why would I? Yes, I'm sure I did it right, you were  _ there- _ ”

Suddenly her cell phone rang, a chirping melody piercing the air. She frantically took the call, turning in what looked like a strategic move so that her side was completely blocked from view. “Yes, Papa, everyone is perfectly fine! Ladybug and Chat Noir took care of everything…”

As she walked off, it was easy for Adrien to forget the weirdness of it all, to forget that she had apparently been talking to herself- nothing new, really- and to simply be glad that he’d been able to help. After all, what was the point of being a superhero whose only power was insanely bad luck unless he kept it away from other people?


End file.
